MORE TV PROGRAMMING CHOICE FOR ABC

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) will receive an extra $4.2 million a year to purchase high quality domestic and overseas television programming in the 2004-05 Federal Budget.

This funding is in addition to $54.4 million in funding over three years for the ABC's Regional and Local Programming initiative, also included in the 2004-05 Budget.

In fulfilment of the Government's 2001 election commitment, the ABC's triennial funding was maintained in real terms in the 2003-04 Budget. The ABC will receive nearly $2.3 billion from 2003-04 to 2005-06, including a total appropriation of $756.1 million in 2004-05.

In recent years, the ABC has been required to adjust its program purchasing in response to significant increases in the cost of a range of television programming.

Greater competition, particularly from the pay television sector, has seen the cost of some types of programming increase by up to 10 per cent per annum.

Other factors affecting the cost of programming include changes in production and supply of programs internationally and rising production costs in Australia.

I am sure that Australians who have come to depend on the ABC for its innovative and comprehensive programming choice will welcome this additional funding to help the national broadcaster to expand its program inventory.

This funding will also have a flow on effect to the local film and television production sector which will indirectly benefit from the ABC's increased capacity to purchase local programming.

The ABC is one of Australia's most important cultural institutions, with an obligation under its Charter to provide quality broadcasting services to the Australian community.

The additional funding announced tonight shows that the Australian Government is committed to supporting a diverse and high quality choice of programming for all Australians.